* New User problem with Merge.

[Grampy34]

As a new user I have successfully imported a gedcom file and have been busy entering data and photographs.
I attempted to Merge duplicate persons but all that seems to have happened is to duplicate the same data within each person's folder.
So I still have duplicates but each with exactly the same data incorporated.
How can I Merge these two people into one person?

[tatewise]

Welcome to the FHUG.
As a new user I advise you study how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers before going too far.

Did you see how_to:index#importing_to_family_historian|> Importing to Family Historian section for your old product?

Did you follow glossary:merge_compare_records|> Merge/Compare Records to merge your two people?

If none of the above helps then please post again with more explicit details or Attachment screen-shots.
What indicates to you that they are duplicated records?

[E Wilcock]

Mike is the expert.
I am only a new user like yourself. But the fh capability to compare and merge two gedcom files (which I once opened to try) is indeed daunting and I cant advise you on it. That is the Merge/Compare file on the File menu top left under the green bar and everything there is to do with your Project file as a whole.

If you want to merge two people in fh (two individuals which you have accidentally put in twice, possibly from different sources, you go to the Edit menu and select the two duplicate entries you want to combine. Once you have done the selection you get two panes side by side and fh marks any exactly matching data. It wont duplicate that for you. It crosses out one instance and leaves the other. But if the match is not absolutely exact, you may see both versions still in place.

You can highlight and then "Discard" the version of any tag you dont want to keep. But if you dont do the discarding you will get both versions and then it may look to you as if you have everything twice.

This may not be what has happened in your case, but it is one way that the data might have got duplicated in one record.

I dont think that people have their data in folders in fh. Their data is part of a text file - that is the gedcom.

But if you mean the people you have tried to merge are showing up twice with the same parents on the fh focus window, that can happen. It isnt a true duplication, the person is only in fh once now, but the older links to parents, wife or children sometimes get left in place. If you right click the child in any duplicated link and then unlink the name- you will get rid of the duplicate.
I suspect these things only happen to new users. fh does removing duplicates a bit differently from my last program and I found it hard. Once you get the idea, it is very safe. You can discard and keep what you want.

[Grampy34]

Thank you Mike also E. Wilcock for your very extremely rapid response to my problem.
I have been using FH for about four weeks and must be considered a 'babe in arms' although I'm very much at the other end of the scale.
I was not aware of any of the sites you suggested, Mike, until yesterday in desperation I Googled Family Historian which provided me with a possible knowledge base but also the FHUG. Even the booklet I received along with the program disk only deals with 'where to record data'.
Also I am not yet really familiar with the terminology used by the program, which differs from other programs I have accessed, which makes life just that little bit more difficult.
My Problem still seems to be what appears to be duplicated people when viewing a diagram of my Tree.
I have two people, Peter Hunter and Elizabeth Simmons together with their ancestors and descendants.
When I select Peter and illustrate his descendants in a diagram his wife, Elizabeth, is shown twice with a double horizontal line indicating their partnership. The two versions of Elizabeth are also attached to each other by a long, golden coloured, curved cord.
Should I select Elizabeth as my subject similar things occur to Peter.
Further, in the Focus window, duplicate entries seem to be shown although each Focus Point (magnifier) is erased and if selecting Elizabeth as the subject one version shows only one child whilst the other shows the correct number, four.
I do hope this enables someone to recognise my problem and, hopefully, provide an answer.
Grampy34.

[PeterR]

This might be relevant: how_to:correcting_duplicate_spouses_families|> Correcting Duplicate Spouses/Families.

[tatewise]

The 'sites' I suggested are part of this FHUG website in its [kb]|[/kb] wiki via the Knowledge Base link at top.

Your duplication is not so much Individuals as Family relationships.

To get a better view in the Focus Window use its Customize View... link at top.
Tick the Record Ids option in the middle and click OK.
Now the Record Id are shown in square brackets after each person's name.
I bet Peter and Elizabeth have the same [Record Id] in their 'duplicates' proving they have only one record each.

Display their Property Box (the one with Main, Facts, Notes, Media, All tabs).
I bet on the Main tab they both have two Spouse tabs towards the bottom, but with same name on both.
In other words they are in a partnership with each other twice, once with 1 Child, and once with 4 Children!

See how_to:removing_unwanted_relations|> Removing Unwanted Relations that explains how to correct things.
For the family with 1 Child in the Focus Window, use Unlink Record for Child, and then for one parent.
That will eliminate the unwanted extra family partnership.

[Grampy34]

EUREKA!!! Problem solved!
Many thanks to those who, very quickly, came to my aid re.'Merging of Duplicate People'.
Particularly Mike who guided and advised me toward achieving a satisfactory outcome.
My most sincere thanks.
Grampy34